Sweepstick for looms and self-aligning bearing therefor



Sept. 6, 1955 E. v. DARDANI SWEEPSTICK FOR LOOMS AND SELF-ALIGNING BEARING THEREF OR Filed Oct. 5l, 1952 lll?? iNvENToR EDWARD V. DARDANI ATTORNEY United States Patent 'O i SWEEPSTICK FOR -LOOMS AND, SELF-ALIGNING-` BEARING'THEREFOR Edward V. Dardani, Fairfield; Comu, assigner to The Heitxln Company,- Fairlield,z Conn., a corporation of Cone .nec 'cut- Application October 31, 1952,` Serial No. 317,894

1 Claim. (Cl.' 139-151) TheV present,inventionrelates to anirnproved sweepstick forlooms and. self-aligning bearing therefor, and isl.-a .continuation-in-partzof my application for,.Sweep Stick lfor Looms :and Self-Aligning Bearing i Therefor, Serial Number 289,373, led March 22, 1952.A ln said application,ithere is disclosed va self-aligning bearing adaptedJto .be-clampingly secured. about.the` end of'y a sweepsticlgnwith the lcentral plane. of the bearing substantially; in the central plane` of the sweepstick, so that thefimpact force. is mostA etl'ciently directed .along the central axisofthe sweepstick.

It is proposed in thepresent invention: to provide-.a

substantially similar self-aligning bearing having an` attaching.extension-disposed in the-central:planeuofthe ing'rswinging .movement to thel latter,` the movementfof to 250 picks per minute, the strain irnposedupon the conventional; 'sweepstick' is` severe and* results; in a comparatively shortuse sbefore replacementis necessary -1 due: to breakage or wear.A This is in part due to the-factzthattthe sweepstickis formediof .a shock-absorbing materialtrather than of metal; usually consistingzof-alengthfof hardcloskef an grained wood, and `in some cases xof laminated Wood and rubbei,.. as i. well: as laminated rubber-impregnated fabric material.:v Furthermore, the loonrmechanism is such that .the picker stick, which is engaged at its upper end in --the shuttle box at the end of the lay, must swing `with the movement of the lay, so that in addition toits swinging .movement to impel the shuttle it also swings'with tthe y lay' atright anglesjto its shuttlel impelling'movement. Consequently,V the connection'lof the-sweepstick..with1the cam mechanism must be suchas to compensate for misf alignment in `the ystud bearing.` lnzthe conventional sweep-1 stick-,thisimisalignment is provided` for ibyrengagingalhe StudA of-Jthercam arm Lin an: oversized 'boletin thefsweepf stielaand due. to lthe repeated, forward and rearward kim; pactzsofi-thestudtinithe hole-,git tendsto become elongated longitudinallyroflthewstick, this being thefprimaryrreason forffrequent :replacement of.thesweepstick. V

It is .proposedain i the present inventionato 'providetan improved bearing betweenfuthe stud.y andthe. sweepstick which-@is self-aligning-ftopcompensate ormisalignment of the sweepstick, and further to provide a rigid connection 2,7 l 7,006 t Patentetltseprf. 6, 119551 ICC . 2f;l orthe:zbearingytwith the sweepstickrdesignedto ,takeaithet impact stminzflongitudinally of..the ,'sti'ckizin; both forward and:rearwardrdirectionmt,andxtovzsoi distributeisfthes strain to` the sxshocki-absorbingf structure of tithe. .sweepstick that there-:will: be?. littleror no tendencytto-wear awayfr ythe .maa teria] of thef'sweepstick:With'zconsequent1looseningaofithe bearing; f. t t

With therabove andclotherfiobjectsxin view,r` 'anaemb'odi mentrsof other:` inventionf 4is shown in` the-` .accompanying drawings, and.: this '.femhodimeritzwillqb'e; hereinaftermore ful1ly:rdescribed :with .reference i thereto,. and the :invention will be finally 'pointed out finxthe claim:

Figi .1 is :a iside. elevation showing;- the;vinner:sidefsthe' sweepstick, accordingg'to [one: illustratedrlexemplaryvema' bodimentV of theinvention;r.-

Figi.l 5 'isasideI elevation showing-a moditcati'onfiofthe invention;

Figw is :a horizontal sectional,viewr-takenzalong; the line ffof'FigtlS; anda' Figf-7 isa topfgplanxviewaof :anothermodificationzofihe invention. Y

Similar referencel characters: indicate .corresponding parts throughout the `severalziigures .of fthe#drawingsx-zy The@ sweepstick 'may =-be of variousamaterialsa suited `for thevpurpose, asffordnstancegaa length of ahardi closely grained wood, such as hickory; laminatedfrubb'er; impreg, natedffab'ric, eter4 -In Figsrx-1-v3 .of fthepresent zdisclosure, because flofthefparticularziadaptabilityoithe :present-@im ventioni.)thereto;ithersWeepstick-ais illustrated eas of.:` ype comprisingtflaminatibns; ofiwoodland rubber; Asirnilar typef .of svveepsticl'cy uisI .disclosedrin` thefpatent .fto .-J (Edgar, MoeiforSweepstickfNotz 2,445,17 ,45 .dated JulypZO, 1948; In partcularg; thsf` specicptypeof isweepsticktisgin 'thea-form ofiamelongated. balrfof rectangulan cross-sectiom land, icona.

n sistsfof.' an intermediate:longitudinally extendingtlaycrtoi wood, metal-,zor-:othen-:relatively l;.inilexi l'1ehard-x material 1l'hayingwouteriflayersf 12.-12,4 also -of similar inexible hard.:materiaLrsecurmupon one endtportion .thereofas .byifcementing on ithe like;thissthreelayer1end..portion. of the-,sweepstickabeing provided-with.. a transversetholemll fori attachment'tof the .lugistrap :ortheg like :.of `.the picker stick, as vis A-usual .in..the. installationtof a sweepstick inra loom The..iriterrriediatet layer lllextends fromthe inner endsaof ther.layerssllflzfanda pair of Ylongitudinally extending layers 14'-14, als@A of inflexible hard` material similarlto the layers 4lland 12L12gfare disposed'in parali ,lel spaced relation to the intermediate layerv ll'withiitheir inner,endslongitudinally spacedj from the `endsofthev layers 12"-112jand iwithrtheir outerends projecting-sub# stantial'ly rvbeyond thefouterjend iof 'the' iintermediate ilayer 11i A body of 'rubber or-otherisimilar .elastic andzresilicnt materialL -15`vis interposed; between:=thea;intermediatewlayer 'llland the =layersz14.14; thisxnaterial extendingasflayers or laxninationslf.longitudinally:betweenx:the :layersA j,1,1 -and 14C-:14aaandfzalsozfextend-ing outwardly-z between. thenop,- posedend&of :'theflayersl 14T-,14 `fandY .12er-12,. asat .16#16, andffabout-fthe gouter.endaofftheintermediate .layer 1v1, as at 17.? i Theq-face. of, fthe, end portion .17 is.-ilat YandC trans-l versely disposed. andjs imyardly .spaced from the outer ends-oh the.1ayers1414, and at Lthe. inner 's'ides'l 'of ltli'e projectedend t, portionst of the layers .14'j1 4` there i are proyided f llrfbllcks '18-'.18"fo1`fmed`v of woo'dialuminum, hardrrnbben or other suitable material; and 'vvhic'hiconff stitutes a substantially' rigid' part of "th'ef outerflayers 14, these blocks being spaced aparb'attheriiner-fsidesito provide an open-ended slot 19 in the central plane of the end of the sweepstick.

The self-aligning bearing is adapted, as will presently more fully appear, to be rigidly secured in the slot 19 between the filler blocks 18--18 and the projected end portions of the' layersl 14-14. The self-aligning bearing assembly comprises two complementary socket forming members, indicated generally as 20 and 21, the member 20 consisting of a semi-spherical socket portion 22 and a web portion 23 surrounding the portion 22 and having its inner at surface in the central plane of the bearing and projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the socket portion 22. Additionally, the web portion 23 is provided with a at extension 24 disposed in co-planar relation therewith and constituting a part of the attaching means of the bearing, as will presently more fully appear.

The member 21 comprises a semi-spherical socket portion 25 complementary to the socket portion 22, and provided with a central aperture 26 and a web portion 27 extending forwardly and rearwardly from the socket portion and having its inner at surface also in the central yplane of. the bearing and secured to the web portion of the member 20 by spaced rivets 28 arranged in concentric relation about the socket portions 22 and 25. It will be understood that instead of the rivets, the web portions may be secured by brazing, spot welding, or other suitable methods. Like the member 20, the web portion 27 of the member 21 is provided with a co-planar extension 29 complementary to the extension 24, the two extensions constituting a double thickness attaching tongue adapted to be inserted in the slot 19 of the sweepstick.

To this end, the tongue is substantiallyV rectangular in outline, its width corresponding to the width of the sweepstick and its length substantially corresponding to the depth of the slot 19. Also, the thickness of the tongue corresponds to the width of the slot, this width being determined by the thickness of the ller blocks 18--18. The tongue is provided with suitably spaced holes 30 for receiving clamping bolts, as will presently more fully appear.

Prior to securing together the socket members 20 and 21, a stud member, generally indicated as 31, is secured in the bearing, this stud member comprising a ball end 32 rotatably engaged for universal swiveling action within the complementary socket members 22 and 25, a flanged portion 33 having at sides 34 for engagement by a wrench, and a threaded shaft portion 35 for engagement in a hole provided in the picker arm of the sweep stick driving mechanism of the loom where it is secured by a nut.

, AIn order to lubricate the bearing, a lubricant space is provided within the socket portion 20, this space being provided by forming a at surface 36 upon the ball end 32 of the stud in diametrically opposed relation to the shaft portion 35- Lubricant is supplied to the space by a check valve type of lubricant fitting 37 screwed into the wall of the socket portion 22.

The bolt holes 30 of the tongue extension are three in number and are disposed in staggered relation in the transverse direction of the sweepstick so that one bolt hole is not in longitudinal line with another. Registering bolt holes 38 and 39 are respectively provided through the filler blocks 18 and the projecting end portions of the layers 14-14, and upon each of the outer sides of said end portions there is engaged a clamping plate having side flanges 41-41 and having bolt holes 42 also in register with the holes 30 of the tongue extension. Bolts 43 are engaged through the registered bolt holes and have nuts '44 screwed upon their projecting ends, and which, upon being tightened, clamp the clamping plates 41- at each side and thus clamp the tongue extension of the bearing assembly in the slot 19. The anges 41 of the clamping plates 40 constitute coniining means for the end portions of the sweepstick to insure against any possibility lof splitting of the wood of the layers 14-14 and the iillerl blocks 18-18. i

In operation, the driving impact from the sweep arm of the pick shaft attached to the stud member 31 is imparted by the stud member directly to the web portions 23 and 27 and the extension portions 24 and 29 constituting the tongue extension, the force of this impact being substantially in the central plane of the sweepstick and being distributed through the bolts 43 and the clamping plates 40 through the relatively non-yielding outer layers 14-14, and thence through the resilient body 15 to the non-yielding intermediate layer 11 and the end portions 12-12, which, being connected by a lug strap to the picker stick, imparts movement to the latter.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the sweepstick 10a is in the form of a solid piece of hard wood, such as hickory, provided at one end with a hole 13a for attachment of the lug strap and at its other end with an open-ended slot 19a disposed in its central plane and receiving the tongue extension of the bearing assembly. In this form of the invention, tbe clamping plates 40a are not provided with side flanges such as the flanges 41 of the iirst embodiment, but are simply rectangular plates having their side edges flush with the side edges of the sweepstick.

These plates have bolt holes 42a registering with the f holes 30 of the tongue extension and the end portions of the sweepstick at each side of the slot 19a are provided with bolt holes 39a also in register with the holes 30. The bearing assembly is clamped in place in similar manner to the first embodiment by clamping bolts 43 having nuts 44 screwed upon their ends.

A vertically disposed clamping bolt 45 provided with a tightening nut 45 and washers 47 and 48 is engaged through a passage 49 in the sweepstick disposed in its central plane and at right angles to the bolts 43, this bolt being for the purpose of insuring against the possibility of splitting the wood through longitudinal strain imposed by the bolts 43.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a modied arrangement in which the sweepstick 10a of solid hard wood is employed, and in which the clamping plates 40 having side anges 41 are engaged about the upper and lower sides of the end portion of the sweepstick in similar manner to the rst embodiment. In this arrangement the bolt 45 is dispensed with, as the anges 41 serve to insure agains splitting of the wood.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as deiined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a sweepstick for looms, said sweepstick consisting of an elongated bar of rectangular cross-y section having relatively narrow horizontal top and bottom surfaces and relatively wide vertical side surfaces and having an open end slot in one end centrally of and parallel to said side surfaces and extending between said top and bottom surfaces, and a bearing assembly connected to an end of said bar, comprising -a pair of complementary socket-forming members, each having a vertical rigid web portion disposed longitudinally outwardly beyond the end of said bar and having a ilat inner surface, said inner tlat surfaces being in contact with each other in a vertical plane coincident to the longitudinal central. vertical plane of said bar, means rigidly joining said web por tions together with said flat inner surfaces in contact, each of said web portions having a socket portion complementary one to the other to form a spherical socket having its center point coincident to both the central horizontal plane of said bar and said central vertical plane thereof, at least one of said socket-forming portions having a central stud-receiving opening having its axis normal to said central vertical plane, and each of said web portions having anintegral rigid co-planar tongue extension extending inwardly beyond the end of said bar in parallel relation to said side surfaces, said extensions having their at inner surfaces in contact and being engaged within said slot of said bar with their outer surfaces in contact with the side surfaces of said slot, horizontal clamping bolt means extending transversely through said bar and said tongue extensions and securing said bearing assembly to said bar, and a ball end stud member engaged for free swiveling movement in said spherical socket and extended transversely outwardly through said stud-receiving opening.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Atwood Aug. 10 Mac Williams Sept. 10, Pearson Feb. 14, Burdett Mar. 1, Huffman Nov. 2, Moe July 20, Dardani July 1, 

